Apparatus for actuating the cutter of an enlarger for photographically printing images from microfilm



May 13, 1969 w. SCHEFFEL 3,443,867 APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING IHEI CU'JTER 0! AN ENLARGER FOR PHOTOGRAPHICALLY PRINTING IMAGES FROM MICROFILM Filed July 15. 1966 Sheet z of 2 T 22 20b 20C! 26 20b ZOGZOD FIG] INVENTOR.

WALTER SCHEFFEL A "ORA/E73 United States Patent 3,443,867 APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING THE CUTTER OF AN ENLARGER FOR PHOTOGRAPHICALLY PRINTING IMAGES FROM MICROFILM Walter Scheiiel, Langenfeld, Rhineland, Germany, as. signor to Agfa-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft, Munich, Germany Filed July 15, 1966, Ser. No. 565,547 Int. Cl. G03b 27/52, 29/00 US. Cl. 35529 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A photographic apparatus for actuating a cutting device in an enlarger Where a distinctive checkerboard type pattern is provided between exposed images of documents on a photo-sensitive strip. A plurality of light sensitive elements is arranged in a distinctive array so as to trigger a cutting device only when light of a particular pattern is received by the elements and the strip is out between the images of documents.

This invention relates to an apparatus for applying special marks to microfilm strips, particularly of the type exposed in straight through feeding devices. It more particularly relates to such marks for actuating the cutting device, of an enlarger for printing a series of images on the microfilm upon a band of photosensitive material fed upon rollers, which severs the band in accordance with the varying sizes of the resultant prints.

In mass producing prints of a series of images of originals on microfilm, automatic enlargers are used to reprint the images on the microfilm at a very great rate of speed on strips of photosensitive material wound upon rollers.

The prints emerging from such enlargers must be automatically cut to size. To automatically accomplish this cutting process, cameras operating according to the step principle have been utilized. They move the film ahead step-by-step one image at a time after the completion of each exposure. The film is thereby moved ahead each time the same distance or a distance corresponding to the size of the original that is exposed. A scanning mark is obtained upon the film after each exposure by applying a rectangular black mark outside of the exposed image upon its carrier. This mark is exposed together with the original copy to provide a cutting mark. The rectangular black mark thus appears on the reprinted enlargements before and after each print of original copy, just outside of it and enlarged back to original size. The marks are scanned by a photoelectric cell to generate cutting signals. This is the existing process for actuating such cutting devices for cameras operating by the step principle.

Microfilm exposures are however made more economically by continually running straight through feeding apparatus instead of the aforementioned step type apparatus.

Since continually running straight through feeding apparatus have the film and originals moving synchronously to each other in a known manner during exposure, the aforementioned manner of application of cutting marks in step apparatus is impossible. Manual application of marks to the film between each exposure would waste an undue amount of time and thus not be feasible. There is no known way of using automatic equipment to apply the type of cutting mark utilized in step type of cameras.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for applying cutting marks to enlarged prints of microfilm with a minimum of trouble and expense and without impairing the elficiency of continually running straight through feeding printers.

3,443,867 Patented May 13, 1969 Another object is to provide such an apparatus which locates the cutting marks between the individual prints without causing the subject matter in the originals themselves to trigger the photoelectric cell.

Existing devices for applying marks between the originals repeatedly generate erroneous signals which actuate the cutting device at the wrong time. This causes the band of photosensitive material including the prints to be cut not only between the prints but at other places and makes the end product worthless.

In accordance with this invention the cutting marks are applied to the microfilm between the images of the originals and are formed in a predetermined distinctive light-modulating pattern preferably of the checkerboard type. The pattern is enlarged and printed by the enlarger on the band of prints and it represents an optical key having several tumblers. Only this predetermined distinctive pattern is recognized by a light responsive control device including a number of photoelectric cells. These cells are constructed and arranged in such a way that only the simultaneous actuation of all of them by the pattern provides the signal which actuates the cutting device.

The predetermined distinctive pattern which is photographed on the microfilm is arranged approximately in the plane of exposure just below the path of travel of the images passing through the microfilming apparatus. The pattern is thus covered during exposure of the originals and it is exposed for photographing only when the originals pass out of the exposure plane.

The pattern may be illuminated by the same upper illuminating source which illuminates the originals being copied in the microfilming apparatus, and it also can be illuminated by separate light source which is independent of the aforementioned light source for the originals. The pattern can also be illuminated by a penetrating light source disposed under it instead of an upper light. The microfilm exposing device may also include a delay control device to maintain the pattern illuminated a short time after the originals have passed through the exposure plane.

The pattern may be mounted upon a rotating drum whose axis of rotation is below the plane of exposure and Whose periphery is located just below the exposure plane. The drum may be rotated by the mechanism for conveying the originals and microfilm through the apparatus to synchronize its peripheral speed with the speed of the originals being moved through the exposure plane whereby sharp images of the pattern are photographed upon the microfilm. The control device in the printer for recognizing the pattern may include a number of photoelectric cells divided into two groups for a pattern of the simple checkerboard type. One of the groups of photocells is actuated only by the lighter surfaces of the pattern. The other is actuated only by the darker surfaces. The centerline of the light sensitive control device may conveniently correspond to the centerline of the pattern and to the centerline of the cutting device.

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side vi w in elevation of a continually operating straight through feeding microfilm exposing apparatus to which the apparatus of one embodiment of this invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a drum portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 having a pattern of this invention in approximately full size applied to its periphery;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a strip of microfilm exposed upon the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a band of light sensitive materrial printed in an enlarger from the strips of microfilm shown in FIG. 3 to show prints of the pattern of this invention applied by the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 interposed between the prints of the originals;

FIG. 5 is a side view in elevation of a portion of an enlarger for printing and cutting the band shown in FIG. 4, illustrating the arrangement of photoelectric cells for recognizing the pattern of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the arrangement of photocells shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic side view in elevation of the cutting device for the printing apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In FIG. 1 is shown a straight through feeding microfilm exposing device including a feed reel 1 from which film 2 is conducted by means of feeding rollers 3 to a take-up reel 4. Film 2 crosses an exposure platform 5, which is provided with a narrow exposure slot 6. Lens 7 is located below film platform 5. Below lens 7 is the conveying device for the originals 8 to be photographed, consisting of rollers 9 and conveyor belts 10. The original ite s 8 to be microfilmed are placed on receiving table 11 and pushed in the direction of arrow 12 into the conveying device. Conveyor belts carry originals 8 through exposure plane 13 until the are grasped by conveyor belts 10 at the exit portion of the conveying device and moved in the diretcion of arrow 14 to receiving table 15.

A drum 16 shown in FIG. 2, is rotatably mounted on shaft 17. Drum 16 is connected by drive belt 18 to the driving mechanism of the device, i.e. with the shaft 19 of roller 9. Drum 16 is mounted with the upper edge of its periphery directly below exposure plane 13 through which originals 8 are moved. A predetermined distinctive lightmodulating pattern 20 in the form of a checkerboard is mounted on the outer periphery of drum 16, and it includes square darker surfaces 20a interchanged with square lighter surfaces 2%.

In the exposure process the checkerboard-like pattern 20 is exposed on film 2, shown in FIG. 3, in the spaces betw en individual exposures 21 of originals 8.

In the enlargement back to original size in the enlarging printer, checkerboard-like pattern 20 is projected on band of photosensitive material 22, shown in FIG. 4-, with pattern 20 being also located in the spaces between each enlargement 23.

The enlarging printer, shown in FIG. 5, includes assembly 24 consisting of two groups of photoelectric cells 24a and 24b. As shown in FIG. 6, photoelectric cells 24a react to the darker surfaces 20a of pattern 20 and photoelectriccells 24b react to the lighter surfaces 20b of pattern 20. Band 22 of photosensitive material is illuminated from above by lamps 25.

An imaginary line 26, shown in FIG. 7, runs through the center of pattern 20 corresponding to the separating or cutting line at which the band 22 is separated by knife 27 of the cutting device. Knife 27 is moved in the diretcion of arrow 28 opposite to the direction of opposing knife 29. In the microfilm exposing device, shown in FIG. 1, lamps 30 illuminate the originals 8 and drum 16. Separate lamps can also illuminate drum 16 either from outside or by penetrating from inside it.

Operation An original 8 to be exposed is moved in the direction of arrow 12 by conveyor belts 10 through exposure plane 13. Exposure plane 13 is a slot through which oriignals are continually exposed in a known manner on film 2 until their rear edges have passed out of exposure plane 13.

During the exposure process, original 8 is optically rolled ofi? against simultaneously moving film 2. Original 8 covers drum 16 from above to prevent anything on it from being photographed. However, as soon as original 8 leaves exposure plane 13, drum 16 becomes visible and is exposed on film 2. Were drum 16 stationary and film .4 2 moving, a blurred image of pattern 20 on drum 16 would be exposed. A blurred image of pattern 20 on film 2 would prevent it from performing its function as the cutting signal generator. It is thus preferred that drum 16 be rotated while its surface is being photographed and in particular at the same surface speed as that of original 8 moving in through the exposure plane 13. This provides sharp reproduction on film 2 of pattern 20, at the top surface of drum 16. Drum 16 is moved at the required synchronous speed by its connection with the driving mechanism of the microfilming apparatus, for example by pulley drive belt 18, which is engaged with shaft 19.

The exposure of the outer surface of drum 16 and its pattern 20 need not be continued indefinitely. It is sufficient for the process of this invention if (for example) four darker surfaces 20a and four lighter surfaces 20b of checkerboard-like pattern 20 are exposed on the film. In other words it is sufiicient to photograph two rows of pattern 20. In existing straight-through microfilming apparatus, exposure lamps 30 are immediately shut off when an original 8 has passed through exposure plane 13. This must be avoided in practicing this invention, because otherwise the surface of drum 16 would never receive any light and thus could not be photographed on film 2. For this reason the invention provides that the straightthrough microfilming apparatus is equipped with a delaying control device for causing exposure lamps 30 to stay on a short time after originals 8 have passed out of exposure plane 13. This continued illumination of exposure lamps 30 is arranged to cause just two rows of pattern 20 i.e., four darker surfaces 20a and four lighter surfaces 20b to be photographed.

It is also possible to illuminate drum 16, not with exposure lamps 30, but by a special illuminating device which is switched on when an original 8 has passed through exposure plane 13 and which remains switched on as long as necessary to photograph on film 2 the desired rows of pattern 20. The separate illuminating device for drum 16 can operate as an upper light but it can also be mounted in the interior of drum 16 to penetrate outwardly through its surface.

This provides images of checkerboard-like pattern 20 in the spaces between individual exposures 21, as shown in FIG. 3. These images are the same between all exposures 21 and located always at the same position. The pattern consists, as shown in FIGURE 3, of four darker surfaces 20a and four lighter surfaces 20b.

When the developed microfilm is printed in the enlarging machine, exposures 21 are reproduced as enlargements 23 on the band 22 of photosensitive material, shown in FIG. 4. There are also reproduced enlarged images of patterns 20 on band 22 between enlargements 23.

Over the band of photosensitive material 22 is located an assembly 24, shown in FIG. 5, including four photoelectric cells 24a and four photoelectric cells 2412. In assembly 24 the photoelectric cells are divided into two groups. One group, namely photoelectric cells 24a, reacts only when opposite darker surfaces 20a. The other group, namely photoelectric cells 24b, only reacts when it is situated opposite lighter surfaces 2012. Assembly 24 is thus constructed to emit a signal only when all photoelectric cells 24a and 24b contained therein react simultaneously. Pattern 20 thus represents on band 22 an optical key with a number of tumblers which opens the optical lock, consisting of assembly 24, only when all stops are opened, i.e. when each photoelectric cell is opposite the marking which it recognizes. Photoelectric cells 24a and 24b are constructed and arranged so that only when all of its photoelectric cells react that assembly 24 provides a signal to actuate the cutting device of the enlarging printer. Knife 27 is then moved in the direction of arrow 28 to cause knife 27 in cooperation with counterknife 29 to separate the band 22 at imaginary centerlines 26.

The images on enlargements 23 are all different from each other because originals 8 and therefore exposures 21 on film 2 are different. However, there is never reproduced an image on enlargements 23, passing under assembly 24 and its photoelectric cells 24a and 24b, which makes all photoelectric cells 24a and 24b react. Such a triggering image consists only of checkerboard-like pattern 20 with its specially arranged surfaces 20a and 201). Only this pattern, appearing under photoelectric cells 24a and 24b, makes assembly 24 react and thus provides signals which actuate the cutting process. Band 22 must be illuminated to make photoelectric cells 24a and 24b react. This is accomplished by means of lamps 25, shown in FIG. 5. The light reflected on the band-shaped material 22 from pattern 20 reaches photoelectric cells 24a and 24b.

The advantages of the apparatus for practicing this invention are as follows:

As described above, it is possible to precisely cut the band of photosensitive material in the enlarging printer exactly between each enlarged image. The lengths of the enlargements can vary at will and be entirely different from each other. The length of each enlargement corresponds proportionately to the length of each exposed image. A further advantage is that the actuating marks are automatically reproduced on the film, always at the correct place between the individual exposures. The drum so to speak is repeatedly exposed to form a continual chain of actuating marks. Still further advantages are that erroneous cuts are precluded with utmost certainty and no delays can occur either in the exposing or in the enlarging processes.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the drawings. Thus it is possible, for example, to utilize a plate instead of the drum, incorporating a checkerboard like pattern analogous to that upon the drum. However, this plate works only when there is a pause between each individual exposure in the straight-through microfilmer, i.e. when each exposure does not immediately follow the other. This requires the film to also stand still to exactly reproduce the pattern, and the illuminating device for the pattern must remain effective for as long as the exposure of the film requires it. For special exposure processes, such a device is sufiicient; but it is less suitable for fast work.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, a total of eight photoelectric cells are employed. It is of course not necessary to always use eight photoelectric cells. This number can be varied up or down. The more photoelectric cells are used, the more positively the device operates to make it much more improbable that the enlarged images would ever have a similar or the same pattern for causing an erroneous actuation of the light sensing assembly.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for actuating the cutting device of an enlarger for printing images of originals from microfilm upon a band of light sensitive material comprising pattern means in the microfilm exposing device for photographically exposing actuating images upon said microfilm between the exposed images of said originals whereby images of said predetermined distinctive light-modulating pattern are printed upon said band of light-sensitive material between the printed images of said originals, said pattern means and said actuating images having a predetermined distinctive light-modulating pattern, a light sensitive control device in said enlarger having a plurality of light sensitive elements arranged in said predetermined distinctive light-modulating pattern, said control device being constructed and arranged to trigger said cutting device only when it receives light in said predetermined distinctive pattern whereby said cutting device is automatically actuated to cut said band at said printed images of said patterns disposed in between said printed images of said originals, said predetermined distinctive pattern is a checkerboard type pattern, and said predetermined distinctive pattern is disposed slightly below the plane of exposure of said microfilm exposing device whereby said patterns are exposed only when said originals pass out of said exposure plane.

. 2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said microfilm exposing device includes a single source of illumination for illuminating both said originals and said pattern.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said microfilm exposing device includes a separate source of illumination for said pattern independent of the source of illumination for said originals.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said separate source of illumination comprises a penetrating light disposed under said pattern.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim ll wherein said micro-film exposing device includes a source of illumination for said originals and said pattern, a control device for shutting off said illumination when said originals are not disposed in said exposure plane, and a delay device in said control device for illuminating said pattern a short time after said originals are in said exposure plane.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said micro-film moves through said exposing device at a predetermined speed, and synchronizing means in said exposing device for moving said pattern in said device at said same speed whereby a sharp reproduction of said pattern is provided upon said microfilm.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said synchronizing means comprises a rotating drum, said rotating drum having an axis of rotation disposed below the plane of exposure of said originals in said microfilm exposing device, the peripheral surface of said drum being disposed slightly below said plane of exposure and arranged for movement parallel to the path of travel of said originals through said exposure plane, said pattern being applied to said peripheral surface, and the speed of said drum being arranged to synchronize the movement of said pattern with said microfilm whereby sharp images of said pattern are exposed on said microfilm between said exposed images of said originals.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said pattern is arranged in a distinctive arrangement of darker and lighter surfaces.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said pattern is a checkerboard type pattern having rows of lighter and darker surfaces, and said rows being disposed parallel to said axis of rotation of said drum.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said microfilm exposing device includes a source of illumination for said originals and said pattern, a control device for shutting off said illumination when said originals are not disposed in said exposure plane, a delay device in said control device for illuminating said pattern a short time after said originals are in said exposure plane, and said delay device being constructed and arranged to expose a predetermined number of rows of said pattern upon said microfilm.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said delay device is constructed and arranged to expose an even number of rows of said pattern whereby a convenient centerline is provided half-way through said pattern.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said light sensitive control device has an operating centering line between said light sensitive elements corresponding to said centerline of said pattern.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,735,335 2/1956 Shaw 88-24 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD A. WINTERCORN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

